Since taking office, Gov. Cuomo has yet to use his powers of executive clemency.

THE STAKES:

It can be an important tool to show mercy and mitigate cases of injustice.

Dating back to Colonial days, governors in New York have had broad powers to grant clemency by commuting the sentences of people convicted of crimes in the state.

Governors may invoke this authority at any time; it is usually at year's end when such decisions are announced. Indications are that we won't be hearing about any pardons from Gov. Andrew Cuomo this year. Since taking office in 2011, Mr. Cuomo has declined to use this available option to show compassion and mercy or, in some cases, correct gross injustices in the imperfect criminal justice and judiciary systems.

Previous New York governors have used executive clemency to commute the sentences of people serving extended prison sentences, often for convictions under the draconian drug laws enacted under Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller. Others have exercised the power to erase stigmas associated with what may have been wrongful prosecutions. In 2005, Gov. George Pataki granted the state's only posthumous pardon to Lenny Bruce for the foul-mouthed comedian's 1964 conviction on a misdemeanor obscenity charge. Mr. Pataki called the action "a declaration of New York's commitment to upholding the First Amendment."

The use of pardons by New York governors has been on the decline since the administration of Gov. Hugh L. Carey, who granted 155 commutations and pardons during his two terms of office. That was 45 more pardons or commutations than the total of all the five governors who succeeded him.

It's easy to understand why governors would shun the use of this power. Former Gov. David Paterson was quoted in The New York Times this week saying his office was deluged with requests for clemency, even in cases where the person had yet to stand trial. Politicians, celebrities and friends, even his own physician, lobbied him on behalf of those seeking pardons, Mr. Paterson said.

Another possible explanation for the drop in use of pardons is the fear it will make a governor come across soft on crime. It may also be viewed as a repudiation of the work of police, prosecutors and judges. This could be especially problematic for a governor who may one day seek national office, as Mr. Cuomo is often said to be.

Criminal justice reformers are urging Mr. Cuomo to give thoughtful consideration to the most egregious cases in which people are serving outrageously long prison sentences for crimes that, if their conviction were today, might not even involve jail time.

While granting executive clemency is not the answer to a flawed system, we urge the governor to use his authority to mitigate the most grave situations resulting from stiff sentencing requirements. Mr. Cuomo is not responsible for the harsh penalties from Rockefeller Drug Laws, but by using his clemency powers he can apply mercy and compassion in the most flagrant cases of injustice and make a strong statement about how we must better handle low-level drug offenses.